Reuters on Tuesday published remarks by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, with Khamenei insisting that Iran has an “absolute need” to build 190,000 centrifuges, ten times the number of centrifuges the Islamic republic already possesses, and far more than what has been proposed by P5+1 negotiators.
The Reuters report – which comes less than two weeks before the July 20 deadline to reach a comprehensive deal set by the interim Joint Plan of Action (JPA) – will be read alongside comments conveyed to the Associated Press (AP) by diplomats regarding the nuclear talks:
Talks over Iran’s nuclear program are making little headway, with Tehran resisting U.S.-led efforts to crimp activities that could be turned toward making weapons, diplomats said Monday.
As negotiations move closer to a July 20 target date for a deal, both sides are trying to plug holes in a sketchy draft agreement.
Five days into the latest round of talks between Iran and six global powers, two diplomats told The Associated Press that there is still a disagreement on the constraints Iran is ready to accept in exchange for a full end to the sanctions stifling its economy. The diplomats demanded anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the confidential negotiations.
The Los Angeles Times on Friday reported that the parties remain far apart on the broader issue of a so-called “sunset clause” that would determine how long restrictions remained in effect, a condition that both the P5+1 and Iran understand as keeping the Islamic republic from becoming a ‘normal’ nuclear state. Western diplomats want the terms of any final deal to stretch for at least 20 years, while Tehran is pushing for an agreement that would last just five years.
Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Ray Takeyh told the Times that Iran would be inclined to make concessions on key issues if the deal only lasted a few years:
Ray Takeyh, an Iran specialist with the Council on Foreign Relations, said this new emphasis could reflect a decision by the Iranian team that they can make concessions on key points provided they can win agreement that the deal will only last a limited time.
If they could nail down a favorable sunset clause, Iranian officials would be able to tell their public that they had won two big concessions — a lifting of restrictions on Iran’s nuclear advancement, plus elimination of the international sanctions that have been crushing the country’s economy.
From their perspective, this makes sense, Takeyh said. “Once the deal is over, they’re off to the races,” he said.
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